Who: Villareal vs Barcelona
What: Spain’s La Liga
The place: Estadio de la Ceramica in Villareal, Spain
When: Sunday, December 21, at 4:15pm (15:15 GMT)
How one can observe: We’ll have all of the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 1215 GMT prematurely of our textual content commentary stream. Click on right here to observe our reside protection.
Villarreal has quietly mounted a possible darkish horse title marketing campaign via many of the first half of La Liga.
Beneficial Tales
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Now it has an opportunity to make it official when the “Yellow Submarine” host Barcelona on Sunday.
Al Jazeera Sport takes a take a look at a sport that might blow the Spanish high flight vast open.
How have Villareal fared in La Liga this season?
The crew coached by Marcelino Garcia Toral is in third place, eight factors behind chief Barcelona and 4 behind second-placed Actual Madrid. But it surely has performed two fewer video games than the powerhouses, so it may simply be in an excellent stronger place.
Villarreal has disenchanted within the Champions League and was eradicated from the Copa del Rey by a lower-division aspect this week. However La Liga is a unique story. Villarreal is on a six-game profitable run, and its solely two losses have come at Madrid and Atletico Madrid.
Marcelino’s males have additionally turned their La Ceramica stadium right into a fortress, conceding a miserly 4 objectives in eight residence matches whereas remaining unbeaten and profitable all however a kind of league encounters.
How have Barcelona fared in La Liga this season?
The sport will pit the league’s high defence in Villarreal, with 13 objectives allowed in 17 video games, in opposition to the league’s high assault. Barcelona has poured in 49 objectives in that point – 15 greater than closest challengers Actual – and greater than made up for a typically shaky defence by outscoring its opponents.
Barcelona will look to each quash ideas of a problem by Villarreal and shut 2025 on a excessive notice this weekend.
An eighth consecutive league victory for Lamine Yamal and firm would additionally hold the stress on a Madrid aspect which is struggling.
Madrid hosts Sevilla on Saturday, with coach Xabi Alonso in want of a convincing victory earlier than they’ve the two-week winter break to ponder the crew’s future.
What occurred in Villareal’s final match?
Including insult to the damage of Villareal’s difficulties outdoors of La Liga this season, they suffered a shock 2-1 Copa del Rey defeat to second-tier Racing de Santander on Wednesday.
Their final La Liga match was on December 6, and was a 2-0 residence win in opposition to Girona. In between these two matches, Villareal additionally suffered a 3-2 residence defeat by the hands of Copenhagen within the Champions League.
What occurred in Barcelona’s final match?
Andreas Christensen and Marcus Rashford struck late within the sport handy Barcelona a hard-fought 2-0 victory in opposition to third-tier aspect Guadalajara within the Copa del Rey on Tuesday.
Their final La Liga match additionally noticed the Catalans pushed to the restrict by Osasuna with Raphinha netting twice late within the sport to safe a 2-0 win.
What’s the secret of Villareal’s La Liga type?
Villarreal has primarily based its success on a crew effort with a number of goal-scorers and playmakers. However left winger Alberto Moleiro stands out. He’s having a breakout first season with the crew and leads Villarreal with six league objectives. Tajon Buchanan has added 5 objectives, and midfielder Santi Comesana helps a strong midfield.
What are Barcelona’s challenges of their La Liga defence?
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has to date succeeded in making a left-side centre-back of Gerard Martin, who struggled to fill in at left again when Alejandro Balde was injured late final season.
Martin has 5 consecutive begins within the centre of the line of defense as Flick tries to discover a substitute for Inigo Martínez, who left earlier within the yr for Saudi Arabia. Martin could also be examined by Villarreal’s assault.
What occurred to La Liga’s plan to play Villareal-Barcelona in Miami?
The Sunday showdown was originally earmarked for Miami till La Liga’s worldwide growth plans collapsed underneath heavy criticism, forcing the cancellation of what would have been the primary European league match performed overseas.
What occurred the final time Villareal performed Barcelona?
Villareal had been 3-2 winners within the La Liga conflict in Could at Barcelona within the aspect’s final encounter, though the house aspect had already secured the league title 5 days earlier to the match.
The away aspect took the lead via Ayoze Perez after solely 4 minutes, however Yamal and Fermin Lopez turned the sport in Barca’s favour earlier than the break. Villareal weren’t accomplished, nevertheless, with Santi Comesana levelling within the fiftieth minute earlier than Tajon Buchanan scored the winner 10 minutes from time.
What occurred within the corresponding fixture between Villareal and Barcelona final season?
The primary assembly between the edges final season resulted in a 5-1 drubbing as Barcelona ran amok at in Villareal.
Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha each netted braces both aspect of Pedro Torre’s strike. Perez was additionally on the scoresheet on this match for the house aspect, but it surely proved solely to be a comfort.
Head-to-head
That is the fifty fifth assembly between the edges, with Barcelona profitable 33 of the matches and Villarreal rising victorious on 11 events.
Villareal have received their final two journeys to Barcelona, however the Catalan membership have the identical file from their final two video games at La Ceramica.
Villareal crew information
Villarreal obtained a well timed enhance as veterans Gerard Moreno and Dani Parejo returned to coaching on Tuesday and needs to be accessible to face Barcelona.
Pape Gueye and Ilias Akhomach, nevertheless, are away with Senegal on the Africa Cup of Nations.
Pau Cabanes is a particular damage absentee, whereas Thomas Partey, Gerard Moreno, Willy Kambwala and Santiago Mourino should show their health earlier than the match.
Barcelona crew information
Dani Olmo and Gavi are each absent as a consequence of accidents, whereas Ronald Araujo is about to overlook the sport as a consequence of private causes.
Pedri missed coaching on Friday as a consequence of a calf pressure, making him a serious doubt for the match.
Predicted Villareal lineup
Luiz Junior; Navarro, Foyth, Veiga, Cardona; Buchanan, Comesana, Parejo, Moleiro; Perez, Mikautadze
Predicted Barcelona lineup
Joan Garcia; Kounde, Cubarsi, Eric Garcia, Balde; De Jong, Pedri; Yamal, Raphinha, Rashford; Torres
